A New Purpose
by Kristen3
Summary: Sequel/companion to "The Next Generation," also follows the string of Leah stories written by me and melinda08. Daphne is sad at thought of having no more children to raise, but a visit from her grandson shows her a new perspective. One-shot.


**Author's Note: **Many thanks to Melinda (**melinda08**) for writing "Brown-Eyed Girl," which began our string of Leah stories. I thought they were finished, but I've been rereading the last few lately, and an idea began to form. It's just a bit of fluff I couldn't resist writing. Reviews are appreciated! :)

Daphne woke with a sigh. Before she could even move, Niles gently kissed her. Daphne smiled at her husband. Even now, Niles was amazed at how beautiful she was. But there was something off about her. Lately, Daphne had been feeling depressed. For so long, her life had been focused on raising children: first David, and then Leah. They had both kept her busy, but Daphne loved every minute of it. Now they were both grown, and Daphne wasn't sure what to do with herself anymore. She'd tried joining book clubs and doing some volunteer work, but none of it could take the place of what she was really missing, the sound of little feet running through the house.

But Daphne knew she couldn't mourn over the past. It wouldn't do her any good. She still had her memories, and she held onto them tightly. But she had to live in the present. So, she got out of bed.

"My love, I hate seeing you like this. I wish there was something I could do."

Daphne turned to Niles, smiling at him. "I know I shouldn't be so upset. I mean, me children may be grown, but I still have you. And they've both become such wonderful adults. I really have no reason to be sad, but I can't seem to help it. All of me life, I've been taking care of people, and now there's no one left for me to take care of."

Niles kissed her. "You still have me, although I know that isn't quite the same. Will you be all right here? I promised to meet with a colleague to discuss a few of his more challenging cases. I don't know when I'll be back, but I won't be too late."

"Sure. I'll be fine." Despite the fact that he could easily retire, Niles chose instead to continue to help others. He really was such a wonderful man, and Daphne knew without a doubt that she was a very lucky woman. After one last kiss, Niles finished adjusting his suit, and left the room. Daphne once again sighed. She wondered what she could do to fill her time. Roz and Alice had moved back to Wisconsin a few years ago. That had been the moment Daphne began to lose her purpose. Roz was truly her best friend, and Daphne hadn't expected to be so lonely without her.

Slowly, she stood up. At least she could make breakfast for herself, and then decide what to do from there. She made her way downstairs. As she walked, she passed by pictures which hung on the wall. One was taken the day David was born. It was an event no one in the Crane family had been able to forget. Niles and Daphne's son had made his grand entrance at a vet's office, during what should have been his grandfather's wedding day. From the first moment David grasped a strand of her hair in his tiny fist, Daphne knew she adored her son completely.

There were other pictures here, showing David as he grew up over the years. And then, of course, there was Leah. Where Daphne had been attached to David from the start, Niles had been the same with Leah. Parents often said that their children grew up in the blink of an eye, and Daphne knew it was true. One minute, Leah was a little girl, begging her father for a story, and the next, she was getting married after finding out she was pregnant.

Yes, there was another generation to the Crane family. Leah and her husband, Joe, had had a little boy. He was named Martin, after his late great-grandfather. Little Martin was now two years old. Both Joe and Leah were busy, so Daphne didn't get to see her only grandchild as much as she'd have liked. But he definitely was being spoiled appropriately. As her eyes fell on a photo taken shortly after Martin's birth, Daphne wished with all her heart that she could see the boy soon. Leah always promised to bring her son over, but her work schedule often made that impossible.

Just as she'd finished the thought, the doorbell rang. Daphne nearly jumped at the sound. Visitors weren't a common thing anymore. As she went to answer the door, Daphne prayed it wasn't a salesman. She had no patience to listen to a spiel about carpets or some other nonsense right now.

But when she opened the door, all Daphne could do was smile. For there stood Leah, with her son standing right beside her. Immediately, Daphne reached out to hug her daughter. "I was just thinking of you!"

Leah smiled as the embrace ended. "I just got called into work, and our usual sitter is sick, so I thought now would be a good time to make up for all those times I promised to bring this little guy over to visit!"

Suddenly, Daphne's mood had changed completely. "Well, that's wonderful! I'm so glad to see you, Martin!" She bent down to her grandson's height. She expected to be tackled into a hug, but Martin stayed frozen beside his mother.

Leah looked down, smiling. "Martin has decided that he's not a little boy anymore. He's actually a superhero."

At this, Martin grinned. "Yeah! I even got a cape!" The boy turned around, revealing a tiny blue cape tied around his neck.

"Wow, a superhero, huh?" Daphne asked, barely containing her laughter. "Well, I think you'd better get inside then. Can't have you standing out here all day. You never know who might be watching!" Daphne glanced at Leah, silently letting her daughter know that her son was in good hands. Leah understood, and being on a tight schedule, she gratefully left the two alone.

When they were inside the house, Martin looked around in a state of alarm. "There's no bad guys in here, are there?!"

"I don't think so," Daphne replied. "I'm afraid we don't have much need for superheroes around here today. But maybe we can find some other fun things to do, all right?"

Martin nodded. Daphne took hold of his tiny hand and walked him toward the kitchen. She quickly made them both a snack. Once they had eaten, Martin looked up at his grandmother questioningly. "What do we do now?"

Daphne looked at him in silence for a moment. Martin knew he'd been named for his great-grandfather, and he'd seen a few pictures of the man. But he hadn't really learned much about the first Martin Crane yet. Perhaps it was time to change that. "Well, how about I tell you a story?"

"What kind of story?" Martin asked skeptically as Daphne led him toward one of the large chairs in the living room.

"Well, it's about a superhero, sort of." She sat, and Martin obediently crawled up into her lap. "He didn't wear a cape or anything like that, but he helped catch bad guys."

"Really? Did he have super powers?!"

Daphne laughed. "Not really. You know you were named after your great-grandfather, right, Martin?" The boy nodded. "Well, he was a police officer," Daphne explained. "He helped to arrest all sorts of bad guys: drug dealers, murderers, you name it."

"Wow, that's cool!"

"Yes," Daphne replied laughing. "And on top of that, he got married and raised two boys. Everybody liked him. He kept catching bad guys, even after his wife was gone, and his sons were all grown up. But then one day, he couldn't anymore."

"How come?" Martin listened, enthralled with the story.

"Well, one day, he was in a store, waiting to buy something, when a bad man came in. He had a gun, and he shot your great-grandfather in the hip."

"That was bad!"

Daphne nodded. "Yes, it was. Not only could he not be a police officer anymore, but he wasn't able to live by himself now, either."

"Where did he go?" Martin asked.

"Well, he moved in with your great-uncle Frasier. It wasn't an easy thing. They didn't get along at all." For a moment, Daphne was no longer aware of Martin on her lap. Her mind had gone back in time, to those first days with the Cranes. "But your great-uncle decided he needed help looking after your great- grandfather. So, he and your grandfather decided to hire someone. That someone turned out to be me."

"Really?!" Martin asked in surprise. He'd never heard this story before.

Daphne nodded. "That's how I met your grandfather. It took some time. We became good friends, and then we gradually fell in love. We got married, and then had your Uncle David, and then your mum. And now, here you are."

"Wow!"

Daphne laughed. "Does that mean you liked me story?" She knew she'd told him a rather condensed version, but the details didn't matter. What counted was that Martin understood that not all heroes wear capes.

Martin nodded. "He was a real superhero, wasn't he?"

"He was." Daphne nodded emphatically. "He helped me realize I had feelings for your grandfather. It wasn't easy, but it worked out all right in the end." Daphne thought of her life with Niles. She hadn't thought of all of this in years. It made her look at things from a new perspective. Her years of raising children were over, and nothing could ever change that. But maybe there was still something she could do. Leah and Joe were fine parents, and Daphne had no doubt that Martin would be raised well no matter what. But they obviously couldn't do it all alone. Every child should have family around. David and Leah had grown up surrounded by the Cranes, and even had Roz looking after them. Shouldn't Martin have that same experience? When she closed her eyes, Daphne could almost see her grandson's namesake nodding his agreement. In that moment, she made a promise to herself: she would make sure that Martin grew up knowing where he came from, and more importantly, that he was loved. What could be a better purpose?

**The End**


End file.
